Cardiff Metropolitan University Moves To Deter The Use of Terms Like “Mankind” and “Heterosexual”

We have been discussing the rollback of free speech on U.S. college campuses as well the adoption of de facto speech codes.  Cardiff Metropolitan University has issued a list of phrases that are now deemed as inappropriate including  “right-hand man” and “gentleman’s agreement” as well as “forefather” and “sportsmanship.”

The policy also warns that the phrases “homosexual” and “heterosexual” should not be used as they are “laden with the values of a previous time.”  I am afraid that I am a bit of a dinosaur but those terms seem to still have meaning that are not just some blind bias of “a previous time.”

While I am uneasy with the school enforcing such codes, some of the suggestions are already used by many of us.

Here is the new list and the preferred substitutes:
“Best man for the job” – Best person for the job
“Businessman/woman” –  Businessperson, manager, executive
“Chairman/woman” – Chair, chairperson, convenor, head
“Charwoman, cleaning lady” – Cleaner
“Craftsman/woman” – Craftsperson, craft worker
“Delivery man” – Delivery clerk, courier
“Dear Sirs” – Dear Sir/Madam (or Madam/Sir)
“Fireman” – Fire-fighter
“Forefathers” – Ancestors, forebears
“Foreman/woman” – Supervisor, head juror
“Gentleman’s agreement” – Unwritten agreement, agreement based on trust
“Girls” (for adults) – Women
“Headmaster/mistress” – Head teacher
“Housewife” – Shopper, consumer, homemaker (depends on context)
“Layman” – Lay person
“Man” or “mankind” – Humanity, humankind, human race, people
“Man” (verb) eg man the desk – Operate, staff, work at
“Man in the street”, “common man” – Average/ordinary/typical citizen/person – but is there such a person?
“Man-hour” – Work-hour, labour time
“Man-made” – Artificial, manufactured, synthetic
“Manpower” – Human resources, labour force, staff, personnel, workers, workforce
“Miss/Mrs” – Ms unless a specific preference has been stated – though its common not to use titles at all these days
“Policeman/woman” – Police Officer
“Right-hand man” – Chief assistant
“Salesman/girl/woman” – Sales assistant/agent/clerk/representative/staff/worker
“Spokesman/woman” – Spokesperson, representative
“Sportsmanship” – Fairmess, good humour, sense of fair play
“Steward/ess” – Airline staff, flight attendant, cabin crew
“Tax man” – Tax officer/inspector
“Waitress” – Waiter, server
“Woman doctor” (or feminine forms of nouns eg actress, poetess) – Doctor (actor, poet etc)
“Working man”, “working mother/wife” – Wage-earner/taxpayer/worker
“Workman” – Worker/operative/trades person
“Workmanlike” – Efficient/proficient/skilful/thorough